While I'm Gone
by Ebil Chameleon
Summary: Just why is Blue gone from his gym so often? -BluexRed- -Oneshot-


**This is something that I've considered writing before but never actually got to it. Comments are very welcome, especially on Blue and Red's characterizations. Do they seem okay or not? I'd like opinions!**

**Nothing but the plot belong to me**

**Please enjoy and happy reading!**

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There were two things on his mind as they flew up towards the mountain: he questioned whether Red even realized his Charizard was gone far longer than normal and then figured that at the moment he didn't care; it saved him one hell of a trek up the mountain. Charizard's body was warm beneath his and for that, he was grateful. Mt. Silver wasn't a friendly place and summertime was waning so the nights were growing colder. He almost felt worried that Charizard had been away from Red for a few days; the Pokémon was probably his main source of heat.

Approaching the peak where Red's camp was, evidence of the weather difference came in the form of a light coating of snow on the craggy, rough surface. He frowned, brushing his hair back from his face and wondered how in the world Red could chose to sleep on the ground every night. Red was crazy, in his own humble opinion, and he wasn't sure why he even put up with the kid sometimes. He was rather moody and would brood often. Their conversations, if they could be called that, never really went anywhere as Red wasn't one to offer many words. Yet there was something between the two childhood friends and Blue knew that there was no other for him.

Smoke was drifting up over the trees now and Blue recognized the familiar surroundings that he visited as often as he could. Charizard floated up and over the trees, hovering above the small camp set-up before touching down. The dragon leaned over, allowing Blue to slip from its back before it located its trainer. Red sat before the small fire he had built, Pikachu napping at his feet. He held one of his Pokéballs while he polished its surface and turned his piercing red eyes up to take in the new arrivals. He looked over the pair silently, face expressing no change in emotion before turning back to the task at hand.

Blue patted the side of Charizard's neck. "Get some rest, buddy. Thanks for the lift." Charizard turned and bowed its head slightly; the two of them seemed to have gotten along recently due to their connection. As Charizard flew off to find a resting place, Blue stepped forward to stand before Red. He stared down at his best friend, growing irritated by the second from being blatantly ignored.

"Oi."

Red paused his actions, peering up from beneath the rim of his hat. Blue sneered down, hating that Red acted this way, as though he were just another trainer wanting to battle the Pokémon Master. It pissed him off and there were days that he really wanted to just smack the guy but he couldn't so much as give him a true death glare.

Blue's jaw clenched when Red still didn't respond. He had his messenger bag over his shoulder, filled to bursting with all the supplies that Red would need to last him another week or two; he found himself responsible for putting it together. They had a system: Red would send Charizard out when supplies were needed and the Pokémon seemed to always be able to find Blue. Charizard would always come baring a small money pouch to pay for the supplies and sometime there would even be a slip inside with specific things needed. Sometimes he would hand the newly purchased things over to Charizard and send it on its way but often enough, just as he did today, he would join it for the journey to the peak of Mt. Silver.

Fed up, Blue dropped the bag of supplies and reached down, grasping Red's chin between his fingers and forcing him to look up. Red eyes were slightly wider in surprise but closed easily as Blue kissed him. It always made Blue smirk, how easily Red would submit to this, and he was always quick to take advantage of the lowering of Red's guard. His free hand cupped Red's face, drawing their kiss out and deepening it slightly. This was a proper greeting in his opinion.

"See, it's not so hard to say 'hello' now, is it?" Blue joked when he ended the kiss. He patted Red's cheek before seating himself beside him. "Gotten any trainers up here since my last visit?" He knew the answer already, as he'd last come up less than a week ago.

Red finally set the Pokéball aside and stared into the fire. "Why are you here?" he asked.

Blue could only roll his eyes. "Why do you ask that every time? Part of a relationship is actually seeing each other. And since you won't come down to actual civilization, I come up to the middle of nowhere." There was always the question of just why Red preferred to be up at the top of the mountain. He'd always told Blue that where he was provided a challenge for those who wished to battle him. Blue thought the entire explanation was complete bull and knew him far better than that. He hadn't had the greatest childhood, what with his father walking out on him and his mother being depressed often. He felt that pang of guilt as well, knowing he wasn't always the friendliest of people towards him either but he'd always been a cocky brat as a kid. At least he'd grown up since then, if only slightly. But he'd always cared for Red when they were younger and he cared for him far more now. This place was just his escape from the troubles of the world.

"Shouldn't you be at your gym?"

Again, Blue rolled his eyes. "It's my place, I can do as I want. If some bratty kid wants to battle me, then he can find me. He can come up here, have a two-for-one special, a double battle with the toughest gym trainer and former Champion and the Pokémon Master."

Red said nothing about the comment and motioned for Blue to pass the bag of supplies over. Blue did so, sighing heavily and obviously. Red opened the bag, peering in and Blue looked away as he did. He did, however, peak to the side when hearing the crinkle of cellophane and caught the tiniest of smiles on Red's face upon finding the gummy Ekans candy, his personal favorite, that Blue had gotten him. Red wasn't always the best with expressing himself, especially with words, but Blue knew that that smile was the best 'thank you' he could get.

As Red shifted through the bag, Blue found a pressure on his legs and found that Pikachu had woken, looking up at him sleepily and questioningly. Blue moved his arms, offering his lap up and the small mouse stepped onto his legs and curled up once again. Blue scratched its ears as it let out a small noise of contentment. "I hope he'd been taking care of you, little guy. Not pushing you too hard." The small tingles of electric pulses was enough of an answer. Blue turned back to Red. "You going to come down for a visit sometime soon? Gramps has been asking about you. And your mother has been worried. You haven't written to her?"

Red said nothing and that said more than any words he could have procured. He was placing everything back in the bag, organizing it all better than Blue had. Red was always meticulous about such things and it always irritated him. "Because, you know, she's been badgering Daisy, asking if she's heard anything from me about you." Red still said nothing. "Come on, she's your mother, damnit. You're all she has left, it's not fair for you to up and leave her too. " He figured the words would strike a chord and that Red wouldn't show it and he was exactly right. The only sign was the very slight cringe that was easy to miss. Blue's free hand wandered to Red's leg, resting there and delivering meaning: he would always be there, they were connected, he held such frustratingly strong feelings for him. "I come up here to be with you. I make the time to make sure you're okay because I care. It wouldn't kill you to do the same."

He stared, willing those red eyes to look back with some sort of guilt in them but Red refused, turned away and saying nothing. His patience was always tested with Red and right now, it was growing pretty damn thin. He took in a deep, calming breath and released it slowly. Pikachu looked up, noticing the halting of the petting it'd been receiving. Noticing the change in Blue's energy, the small mouse moved from his lap, stretching a bit before wandering to the tent that Red had set up. With one last sigh, Blue moved, his hand leaving Red's lap. He started to stand, dusting off his pants. "Guess I'll see you around, then. I'll make sure your mother knows you aren't lying dead somewhere." The words were harsh, sarcastically so, but he didn't care at the moment. He loved the kid, but sometimes his brooding nature was just too much.

Blue wasn't able to take the first step away when his hand was grabbed. He glanced back down, finding Red looked away but grasping his hand rather tightly. Everything with him was all about unspoken signals. Blue could interpret this one easily enough and if it were anyone else, he'd have easily shaken the hold off and walked away. But Red was special. Red was his and his alone and this was exactly what he was waiting for. He needed to know that Red needed him.

So Blue sat back down, shifted close to sit right against Red, their shoulders and arms touching comfortably. Their hands stayed clasped, finger weaving together. Blue only wished that he could have foreseen this and had brought something warm to wear through the night, but easily figured that being curled together with Red in his sleep would keep him warm enough. It had been a bit since he last stayed the night and anytime he did, he always meant to make it count, to make it mean something. Red showing any sort of affection was rare and the fact that he had made the first move wasn't something that should be wasted.

Blue had always believed that their relationship may seem odd to outsiders; once rivals yet best friends, always competing against one another and never looking to have gotten along. But there was much more than that, and beneath that surface Blue knew that they were two people who simply understood one another. Many people would get downright pissed with his cocky attitude and not many could withstand Red's silence. But Blue always put up with it because when Red did speak, it seemed to always mean so much more. So he smiled contentedly when Red squeezed his hand, eyes staring off to the sky ahead saying, "I've missed you."


End file.
